Osborne, Stevie

Stevie Osborne was convicted in April 2005 of murder and received a sentence of detention for life with a nine year minimum term.

The CCRC received an application for review of the conviction in September 2007.

Mr Osborne was 14 at the time of the offence.

During review, the CCRC obtained fresh expert medical and psychiatric evidence indicating that at that time, Mr Osborne was suffering from psychiatric vulnerabilities which made him more impulsive than average.

Medical evidence suggested that Mr Osborne’s condition impaired his perceptions, emotional responses, ability to form rational judgement, and ability to exercise control over his impulses.

This supported a defence of diminished responsibility, which had not been run at trial.

The CCRC concluded there was therefore a real possibility the Court of Appeal would quash Mr Osborne’s murder conviction and substitute it for one of manslaughter by reason of diminished responsibility.

The CCRC referred the conviction in August 2009.

The Court of Appeal upheld the conviction in March 2010.